President's son chosen as star PL candidate in Coleiro Preca district

Robert Abela, the son of former Labour deputy leader and President of the Republic George Abela, is to be Labour's 'star' candidate in the sixth district, which comprises Qormi, Siggiewi and Luqa.

Abela is being fielded as part of the party's strategy to scoop up votes from heavyweight Marie-Louise ColeiroPreca, who earlier last week announced she was not contesting the forthcoming general elections.

It was a week also dominated by news that Deborah Schembri, the 'apolitical' figurehead of the pro divorce movement, had accepted to run on a Labour ticket in the next general elections.

Robert Abela's wife Lydia is the executive secretary to the party's executive committee. A lawyer by profession, he leads the legal work at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority outsourced to his father's firm since 2001.

Anti-divorce campaigner and Labour MP Marie-Louise ColeiroPreca said she will not contest the next general elections. Coleiro-Preca was a former secretary-general of Labour and a candidate for the party leadership in the last elections that saw Joseph Muscat elected leader.

As one of Labour’s anti-divorce MPs, Marie-Louise ColeiroPreca was a supporter of the referendum. “I feel this is an issue that the people must give us MPs a mandate for us to decide according to their wishes… This is a matter of conscience, but I cannot impose it upon others without a mandate from the people. And it should be an informed decision by the people... I believe in a discussion that is well-informed, that goes beyond crusades and fanaticism, but I’ve been disappointed so far.”

Meanwhile, a petition has been going round in Qormi, urging Coleiro Preca to withdraw her decision not to contest the general elections.

Hah - Thank you for reminding us that PL is just the other street gang that wants to run the street rackets in this neighborhood. So the other 'Palindinos' of democracy are getting ready to pursue the well established Maltese HEREDITARY democracy system.
This country is truly caught between a rock and a hard place. Or Maybe i should say this country is caught between syphilis and aids - considering that its politicians we are discussing.
PL - just in case you bunch of morons got the wrong message - WE DID NOT VOTE FOR LABOUR IN THIS REFERENDUM. WE VOTED TO TAKE BACK OURS RIGHTS. Just because you got a free ride out of this referendum - remember WE THE PEOPLE ARE ON TO YOU BOTH!

New blood is needed to breathe fresh air and renew our political parties. We have to ensure that we search far and wide to identify and ensure that the best candidates come forward to be selected. Our parties must cast the net wider and create a more transparent and fairer process to select the best candidates and not wait for a referendum to throw up persons of the calibre of Deborah Schembri.. There are already too many siblings of political dynastic families in our parliament and too few women or persons outside the legal or medical profession.

This is excellent news. Dr Robert Abela has a lot to offer not only to the Labour Party but to a country which lacks young, modern and focused politics.
It seems that Joseph Muscat is doing his groundwork well, bridging different sectors together.
The next general election will the most interesting in the past two decades.

tony fava•

Dr Abela. I wish you good luck . Well done Joseph and PL. Indeed Gonzipn must have more than a par idejn sodi, come next General election.

Carmel Xuereb•

The BEST are gathering under the Labour Umbrella. Well done Joseph and good luck to all the prospective candidates.

George Schembri•

Prosit Labour! If the son is as conservative and opportunistic as the father they have made a good choice!
Read this:
https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/deborah-zzid-mar-rih-tal-bidla/

Charles Mifsud•

So that's the reason for ML Coleiro Preca's timing for announcing her withdrawal from the candidates list for next election - not just a crisis of conscience. I wish Dr Robert Abela all the success in the Qormi district. New blood of the right kind is welcome if our party is to strengthen its progressive liberal qualities.

Dora Buttigieg•

Instead of basing her reasons not to contest the next election on threats she received, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca should substantiate her claims of threats she received by presenting proof, so that these will be verified.
.
Who knows who made these threats? It could be anyone, especially knowing that she has campaigned with the no movement. We have experience even from blogs in this e-newspaper that some comments are made simple to deceive.

Alf Galea•

The divorce referendum is going to be the death bed for a lot of the old guard.
New blood is most welcome in both PL and PN camps and will bring some fresh air into our mouldy parliament that has long been controlled by certain cliques that are now showing us that their idea of democracy is that they use their seat in parliament according to ''my personal'' wishes and not the ''people's'' wishes.